William Hatton

My Uncle William was born at Lakefield? Ontario in 1870.  After he turned 25 years old in 1895 he fell in love and married Mecilla at Smith, Ontario.  Their daughter Alma R. was born the following year.  When the 1901 census was taken they were living near Peterborough.  William was then 30, Mecilla 24 and Alma was 4 years old.  There is no record the Mecilla an Alma came West with Uncle William, and I have no recollection of whether they did or not.

On June 14th. 1905 William applied for patent on NE.10.31.18.W2 to be beside his brother James on NW.10.  This quarter had been previously applied for by Sigurdur A. Nordal of West Selkirk Manitoba, but Sigurdur was unable to comply with the provisions of the Dominion Lands Act, so his homestead grant was cancelled for non compliance.  His brother Bjorn Nordal had applied for NW.10 but had to cancel his quarter on August 4th., 1906 due to illness.  This freed up the north half of section 10 for the Hatton brothers.

On June 2nd., 1906 the Dominion Land Office at Yorktown, Assiniboia, North West Territories approved Williams application and he arrived on the land on August 8th., 1906.  Uncle Bill roughed the first winter in a traditional sod house built into a hill bank, but on January, 1907, he constructed a 16ft. x 22 ft. house for $200 and moved into it on February 1st. and lived there until he proved up his homestead. Uncle Jim moved in with him on November 26th., 1908, so together they built a 12ft. x 18ft. addition to the house.  Uncle Bill had horses to till the land, and Jim had cattle and pigs, so they complimented each other.  Bill had a special horse by the name of Barney, who was the largest, strongest and most gentle horse in the district. After three years of hard work, William received his patent document on November 30th., 1909.

The following year he sold NE.10 to my father David Hatton.

William Hatton 1870-?